On Tuesday, July 10th Councilwoman Christine Quinn spoke at Poe Park Greenmarket in the Bronx. She talked about the importance of increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables to counter the obesity epidemic. Jane Udell, from the Department of Health spoke about Health Bucks. They are available to low-income families and WIC participants in increments of $2. Health Bucks can then be used at Farmers' Markets. These are in addition to the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)Checks that are dispersed at the beginning of July, from the New York State Deparment of Agriculture and Markets. $24 is given to families and $20 is given to seniors in the form of checks that can only be spent at markets. These iniatives are all components of increasing fresh food availability to those of low-income. Bob Lewis, the program coordinator for the Ag. Dept's program also appeared at the Poe Park press spot.
Other key policy figures and organization representatives rallied for the importance of healthful food and more widespread acquisition. The Bronx Deputy Borough President voiced support for the importance of farmers markets in the Bronx. JC Dwyer from the Coalition Against Hunger reiterated the coalition's continued commitment to reducing food insecurity in NYC. The coordinator of Greenmarket also appeared to speak to the increasing need of connecting consumers to local foods.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
First Days of Farmers Market
Last Thursday marked the first day that Cooperative Extension had a presence at city Farmers Markets. Teams of about 6 people set up at both the Harlem Hospital and 175th Street markets. Linda Ameroso (my direct supervisor) and Erika Ichinose (a CUSP alum!) have been working months to establish their volunteer base, supplies, and resources. Being at Farmers Markets is kind of like going camping. By that I mean, Linda and Erika have had to make sure that we have fresh, running water with which to wash dishes and vegetables, a place to store supplies, and all the many necessities of taking a cooking demonstration on the road. It is of utmost importance to be "food-safe." This means that every kitchen utensil (from knives, to graters, to sponges) must be washed and bleached on site. (The bleaching is done using a 1 tablespoon bleach: 1 gallon of water ratio-- in order to sanitize)
At market, the teams prepared tossed salad. The salads were different at each market, as the produce varied a bit in regards to what the farmers had donated. The farmers are extremely generous. They provide heads of lettuce, bunches of carrots, beets, even interesting vegetables like "verdelago" that are new to me. They are in partnership with Cooperative Extension. They know that when the CCE volunteers prepare beautiful, appetizing food it highlights the fruits and vegetables they have worked so hard to grow. Conversations, led by a designated Cooperative Extension Community Educator, invite market customers to explore new ways of preparing foods, or introduce them to foods they might not have known. Of course there are the people who will have nothing to do with vegetables, even free ones! At Harlem Hospital one lady said "the only vegetable I'll eat is corn!" When she voiced dissatisfaction that she couldn't get corn at market that day I attempted to suggest that it was too early in the season for it. She disagreed and said that she could always get it at the store. The conversation was instructional for me in that it's always necessary for me to remember to try to meet people where they are when it comes to ideas about food and eating.
Saturday was really fun, as I went to Red Hook to assist with a demonstration at Added Value's first farmers market. We got to dance and jive to drumming music (thanks to Emma, who organized it!) while we cooked zucchini that we picked right from the farm. I had a great time giving out free samples of farm-fresh food. Encouraging people to eat more local, fresh vegetables and giving them free ways to try new things seems like a positive endeavor all-round. We had quite a few people come back for seconds, and even some of the kids admitted that they liked the zucchini!
At market, the teams prepared tossed salad. The salads were different at each market, as the produce varied a bit in regards to what the farmers had donated. The farmers are extremely generous. They provide heads of lettuce, bunches of carrots, beets, even interesting vegetables like "verdelago" that are new to me. They are in partnership with Cooperative Extension. They know that when the CCE volunteers prepare beautiful, appetizing food it highlights the fruits and vegetables they have worked so hard to grow. Conversations, led by a designated Cooperative Extension Community Educator, invite market customers to explore new ways of preparing foods, or introduce them to foods they might not have known. Of course there are the people who will have nothing to do with vegetables, even free ones! At Harlem Hospital one lady said "the only vegetable I'll eat is corn!" When she voiced dissatisfaction that she couldn't get corn at market that day I attempted to suggest that it was too early in the season for it. She disagreed and said that she could always get it at the store. The conversation was instructional for me in that it's always necessary for me to remember to try to meet people where they are when it comes to ideas about food and eating.
Saturday was really fun, as I went to Red Hook to assist with a demonstration at Added Value's first farmers market. We got to dance and jive to drumming music (thanks to Emma, who organized it!) while we cooked zucchini that we picked right from the farm. I had a great time giving out free samples of farm-fresh food. Encouraging people to eat more local, fresh vegetables and giving them free ways to try new things seems like a positive endeavor all-round. We had quite a few people come back for seconds, and even some of the kids admitted that they liked the zucchini!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Museum visit
Although it has been a week and a half since I went there, I am still thinking a lot about my trip to El Museo del Bario. When I went with Lindsey, Tom, and Ding we saw a installation about the "Disappeared" in Latin America. This word describes the phenonmenon whereby people disappear without a trace and are never found or heard from again. It is believed that some of these people are the victims of dictatorial regimes and military occupations.
The art expressions depicted images of people who had disappeared, as well as visual representations of loss. Strangely, the work that most moved me was the story behind the 350 photographs of that many graffiti images of bikes. Each stenciled bike that was pictured represents a person who was disappeared-- as described in the installation write-up, often the first indication that a friend or loved-one had been disappeared was the presence of his or her bike, abandoned at the time of disappearance. This struck me because of the very physical nature of the absence. I do not know any of the people whose lives were commemorated, but I can viscerally imagine how I would feel to see the bike of someone I love and realize that they are never returning.
The art expressions depicted images of people who had disappeared, as well as visual representations of loss. Strangely, the work that most moved me was the story behind the 350 photographs of that many graffiti images of bikes. Each stenciled bike that was pictured represents a person who was disappeared-- as described in the installation write-up, often the first indication that a friend or loved-one had been disappeared was the presence of his or her bike, abandoned at the time of disappearance. This struck me because of the very physical nature of the absence. I do not know any of the people whose lives were commemorated, but I can viscerally imagine how I would feel to see the bike of someone I love and realize that they are never returning.
current projects at Cooperative Extension
One of the things I've been working on at CCE is a listing of "Free Meals." Each of the eleven farmers' markets that Cornell Cooperative Extension FMNP (Farmers' Market Nutrition Program) team goes to is in a low income area. There are many soup kitchens and food pantries that exist in these communities, but the residents may be unaware of them. My role has been to locate food pantries and soup kitchens near to where the markets are (walking distance) by using a very interesting mapping system on Google maps. The Coalition Against Hunger's website has a link to a flagged map of these locations. I also called all of these places to make sure I have the most current information, as well as times they are open.
Another component of this project is information from the Free Summer Meals for Kids Program. Every summer the New York State Department of Education puts out a list in June detailing the locations that kids can receive free meals throughout the summer. Most of these are at schools or community centers. Also by using Google maps, I was able to find out which locations are close to the market sites. I then created lists that will be posted at each market that describe where free food is available. This is a concept that my supervisor came up with last year. This year there will be a sign on the table at each market. It is our hope that people who are hungry will be more connected to accessing food.
As I was working on this project I met a number of challenges. The first was technical. I am not an apt computer user and navigating my way through online research took time. Next, I had to swallow some of my shyness when calling so many people about the listing of pantries. Recognizing that people who do service work often are very pressed for time, I felt disconcerted at the prospect of interrupting so many people. I had to keep reminding myself that what I was researching is really what they work for--for people to have better knowledge about the help that is available. And lastly a thought that kept coming to my mind was the very nature of telling people where food is available. Shouldn't it be available everywhere! Shouldn't people have the basic right not to have to go hungry? Is that type of research condescending? Should not I have spent my time battling politicians or fighting for more socialist practices--where people could have the means to have more equitable distribution of resources. But I had to start somewhere. Even if I do question the monetary spending of the politicians or insist that every person receive a living wage--these processes will take time. Right now, what I can do is to possibly let one person know that he can go down to the local church food pantry and get some food if he so desires.
Another component of this project is information from the Free Summer Meals for Kids Program. Every summer the New York State Department of Education puts out a list in June detailing the locations that kids can receive free meals throughout the summer. Most of these are at schools or community centers. Also by using Google maps, I was able to find out which locations are close to the market sites. I then created lists that will be posted at each market that describe where free food is available. This is a concept that my supervisor came up with last year. This year there will be a sign on the table at each market. It is our hope that people who are hungry will be more connected to accessing food.
As I was working on this project I met a number of challenges. The first was technical. I am not an apt computer user and navigating my way through online research took time. Next, I had to swallow some of my shyness when calling so many people about the listing of pantries. Recognizing that people who do service work often are very pressed for time, I felt disconcerted at the prospect of interrupting so many people. I had to keep reminding myself that what I was researching is really what they work for--for people to have better knowledge about the help that is available. And lastly a thought that kept coming to my mind was the very nature of telling people where food is available. Shouldn't it be available everywhere! Shouldn't people have the basic right not to have to go hungry? Is that type of research condescending? Should not I have spent my time battling politicians or fighting for more socialist practices--where people could have the means to have more equitable distribution of resources. But I had to start somewhere. Even if I do question the monetary spending of the politicians or insist that every person receive a living wage--these processes will take time. Right now, what I can do is to possibly let one person know that he can go down to the local church food pantry and get some food if he so desires.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Intimate tour of Greenwich Village and the Meat Market
Tonight I got a cursory tour of the Meat Market, as given by two friends who live in the West Village. Steve (a journalist at a Queens newspaper) indicated that if one were to awake at, say, 4 am any day during the week it would be possible to hear the grinding from the meat processing plants that characterize the area. But, and this blew my mind, it is one of the hottest, most celebrity attended areas in all of Manhattan. My other friend/tour guide Steff (the buff Brooklyn Botanical Gardens kids group leader) informed me that one morning on her trip to the corner store she stood in line behind Jake Gyllenhall. Apparently Mandy Moore and Britney Spears both frequent the night clubs in the area. Now, I am not one for getting “stars in my eyes,” (especially for the likes of these two teeny pop divas), but I was tickled to know that I was walking in a mega-trendy area. (And, for the record, Donnie Darko is one of my absolute favorite movies).
The streets are cobbled and lined by old brick factory buildings. There is the absurd and fascinating dichotomy of death smeared, shuttered warehouses and the latest, chic-est restaurants and designer boutiques. My overall impression…this area seems to be like the fiefdoms of old where the moneyed royalty took pleasure from walking among the commoners. In front of the Olympia garage, two milk crates supported the bearers of grease-stained hands. These mechanics seemed out of place in their own livelihood, amidst the gossamer-thread clothed mid evening diners.
The streets are cobbled and lined by old brick factory buildings. There is the absurd and fascinating dichotomy of death smeared, shuttered warehouses and the latest, chic-est restaurants and designer boutiques. My overall impression…this area seems to be like the fiefdoms of old where the moneyed royalty took pleasure from walking among the commoners. In front of the Olympia garage, two milk crates supported the bearers of grease-stained hands. These mechanics seemed out of place in their own livelihood, amidst the gossamer-thread clothed mid evening diners.
Tuesday morning in the Bronx
Yesterday I again traveled up to the Bronx to photograph a Nutrition and Health Workshop group. They were graduating from their eight week program and receiving certificates and sharing smiles. Some of the women also shared stories of how the classes have helped them in their daily lives. Many of the stories were similar—they related how the classes have helped them to make “healthier food choices” and had opened their eyes to safety concerns. The most profound thing about the stories was hearing how much confidence and pride came from learning ways to help them. This is the same kind of empowerment that I hope to create when I teach or relay nutrition messages.
Coming back downtown from the Bronx, I made some observations while on the subway. (I find the subway a superb place to think and observe, mainly because one is in an enclosed, microenvironment with other humans who are doing the very same thing, I think). There were six girls, 13 or 14 years old, on their way to Coney Island by the looks of the towels in hand and bathing suit strings visible beneath t-shirts. Although young, each of them was somewhat overweight. This was in stark contrast to the very thin people I’ve grown accustomed to seeing around Manhattan.
I pondered the influence of history and tradition as it weaves through our nation’s food consumption. I speculated that perhaps the girls being overweight was a function of fresh foods not being available where they and their parents shop. Also, there is the factor that their parents cook foods that they have cooked for generations, and many of these eating patterns may not be entirely health supportive. As I am learning, it is not enough to simply tell people “eat more fruits and vegetables.” They need access, as well as strategies, that fit into varying cultures, in order to do this. Exercise and physical activity are also so important. Kids need positive messages, and access to space, so they are encouraged to exercise. It is important to bring these messages to adults too! If parents see the value of living healthier lives, this can translate into their interactions with their children.
Coming back downtown from the Bronx, I made some observations while on the subway. (I find the subway a superb place to think and observe, mainly because one is in an enclosed, microenvironment with other humans who are doing the very same thing, I think). There were six girls, 13 or 14 years old, on their way to Coney Island by the looks of the towels in hand and bathing suit strings visible beneath t-shirts. Although young, each of them was somewhat overweight. This was in stark contrast to the very thin people I’ve grown accustomed to seeing around Manhattan.
I pondered the influence of history and tradition as it weaves through our nation’s food consumption. I speculated that perhaps the girls being overweight was a function of fresh foods not being available where they and their parents shop. Also, there is the factor that their parents cook foods that they have cooked for generations, and many of these eating patterns may not be entirely health supportive. As I am learning, it is not enough to simply tell people “eat more fruits and vegetables.” They need access, as well as strategies, that fit into varying cultures, in order to do this. Exercise and physical activity are also so important. Kids need positive messages, and access to space, so they are encouraged to exercise. It is important to bring these messages to adults too! If parents see the value of living healthier lives, this can translate into their interactions with their children.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
community service
Well, the most challenging thing has been that this is not my community. Challenging in the way of being thrown right into the multitude of discussions and projects, initiatives, groups, subcommitees-- all dealing with the many issues of such a large community. In Ithaca "community" means well, just Ithaca. Here in NYC it seems to mean very broad and very specific things. In the same conversation mention could be made of one particular neighborhood (ie Park Slope) and the entirety of NYC. This is a big community!
What does this mean for my role? I'm at once responsible for understanding the diversity that exists between different areas of the city, while at the same time keeping in mind that NY policy people and organizational figures talk about the entire city.
In response to this, I find that I must become increasingly sensitive to the fact that there are many factors (besides even just those visible on the surface) to residents' lives. (ok, yes we talked this out quite a bit in our class, but lo and behold I finally am immersed in it).
I can only truly serve the community when I observe and internalize first. I traveled up to the Bronx yesterday to photograph the women who were taking a nutrition education class. I found that they opened up and became comfortable enought to just tell me about their lives because I was interested and asked questions without asserting a strong presence. Granted one of the women there seemed to be able to start a conversation with just about anyone, but still, I enjoyed putting aside my own biases and simply observing and becoming part of their world for a bit. Kind of like turning into the human sponge.
But giving back, putting forth, is much more than this. It is observing, internalizing, as well as reflecting and using all of this to approach people in a humane, thoughtful, and well organized way. My supervisor, Linda, gave me a book on going beyond "telling" to teaching. This involves asking open-ended questions and drawing out from others what they are good at and their strengths. This the way I will go about community service--from a perspective that I don't know everything about the population I'm working with...in fact I might not even know much. But if I listen and teach from a place of belief in everyone's innate ability to want to learn, I can serve and give back what I know with compassion
What does this mean for my role? I'm at once responsible for understanding the diversity that exists between different areas of the city, while at the same time keeping in mind that NY policy people and organizational figures talk about the entire city.
In response to this, I find that I must become increasingly sensitive to the fact that there are many factors (besides even just those visible on the surface) to residents' lives. (ok, yes we talked this out quite a bit in our class, but lo and behold I finally am immersed in it).
I can only truly serve the community when I observe and internalize first. I traveled up to the Bronx yesterday to photograph the women who were taking a nutrition education class. I found that they opened up and became comfortable enought to just tell me about their lives because I was interested and asked questions without asserting a strong presence. Granted one of the women there seemed to be able to start a conversation with just about anyone, but still, I enjoyed putting aside my own biases and simply observing and becoming part of their world for a bit. Kind of like turning into the human sponge.
But giving back, putting forth, is much more than this. It is observing, internalizing, as well as reflecting and using all of this to approach people in a humane, thoughtful, and well organized way. My supervisor, Linda, gave me a book on going beyond "telling" to teaching. This involves asking open-ended questions and drawing out from others what they are good at and their strengths. This the way I will go about community service--from a perspective that I don't know everything about the population I'm working with...in fact I might not even know much. But if I listen and teach from a place of belief in everyone's innate ability to want to learn, I can serve and give back what I know with compassion
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